Butte semi-weekly miner. [volume] (Butte, Mont.) 1886-1890, 1887-03-12
HIS SPECIAL GIFT.
"Have you seen the freshmanf'
SlTTThsoh ~

"Have you seen the ffeshmani''
"Whichs"
"There Is but one you could sse."
"Humpty Dumptyi Oh, be pervades the
place. The trees in the campus shrank into
bushes when he came into it"
t The students who were going up to chapel
in groups were calling to each other, joking
as usual But there was but one subject
to-day for their jokes. "Have you seen
tho babe?" "Tom Thumb" 'sBulgy"-
they had a dozen nicknames for this unfor.
tunate freshman, who bad arrived the pre-
vious night, and had been seen at the hotel
by some Of them.
He was not at chapel, however, % that
the majority Of VI were disappointed
I had m errand to Professor TyndaI's
room that morning, and found there q very
meek little woman, who had brought her
son up to college.
She was speaking Is I entered.
"You understand, professor, he b my
only child. I am q widow. He is Ill I
have"
81 do understand, madam, said tho good
old professor, gently, "and all that I can do
to make him a useful man shall DO done,
rest assured. But in the end, it depends ON
the lad himself"
"Oh, Tony's willingi He does his best.
But we're very poor. 1t has been bard
work for years to raise the money for him
to come here, and now I want him to learn
everything right away: Greek and Latin
and mathematics and arithmetic and his
tory and'--
"Is your son a good arithmeticianp Or
has he q talent for languages, or bellies let
tres, or what has he an inclination fort"
''Oh, nothing at all, sir, unless it ID his
meals. He's very fond Of dinner, especially
when there's pot pie. But as for books, he
doesn't banker for any Of them. That's the
reason I brought him here."
81 should like to SEQ the boy, " said the
worried professor.
"He's just outside. But you'll be gentle
with him?" she said, %anxiously, pausing at
the door, the knob in her hand. Hes .
mere boy, a perfect child. Come in, Tony,
dearr"
The professor looked away to hide a smile
as the tiny little woman came up, leading
an immensely overgrown youth a. she
would a baby.
'This is Tony, sir. That is his pet name,
but Anthony Briggs Brashier is his full
name"
"Take a seat, Mr.. Brashier," said the
professor, placing a chair for the lad. IA
few questions, perhaps, will give me an idea
of the best course for you to choose. Many
of our studies are elective. How far have
you gone in Latin?"
Tony's red face was perfectly round, and
no older in its lines than that of q boy of 6.
But there was great anxiety in his eyes,
as he said, in . husky whisper: II never
could get beyond the grammar, SIR"
"And in Greeks"
Tony shook his head. The examination
on every subject brought the same results.
The professor frowned. "You are at only
for the preparatory school, I fear. As to
mathematical"
Tony's face lightened- 81 don't think I
am quite such . Ounce In mathematics a. in
other things: I like the study. l have
gone through tho geometry and algebra
twice"
"well, WE'LL" said the professor, i've
shall see. You will undergo . regular OK
animation. If you must enter the prepara-
tory school, it will make your course . year
longer"
ooh, dear Tony, do tryr' almost sobbed
his mother. "You know all that depends
on your getting through soon. I want him
to be q minister, sir. His father was q
minister. He'd earn our living that way and
serve God, too. I wan him to live for the
glory Of God and the good of tho world"
The professor attended her respectfully
as she went out. Tony fingered, catching
sight OF me.
"Are you ono Of the students?'' he asked.
eyes" I had an odd bewilderment as to
whether it was a child or a grave, eager
man who was talking to me.
81 suppose it's pretty hard work herei"
"Pretty hard, even for a bright fellow"
I replied.
"Well, I can't do it. I'm not bright; I'm
a regular Ounce. I've made up my mind to
that. Except - his queer dark eyes brighten
ing, tin one or two little things, but they
wouldn't count-here."
There was little doubt that Tony's esti-
mate of himself wal correct. In spite Of
| his knowledge Of mathematics, he was SO
deficient in his other studies that he was put
into the preparatory school, with lads Of
10. There he remained for two long years.
His mothers resolve that he should be .
minister was memorable, and it never &C.
CURED to the gentle, good natured lad to
oppose it. Hence the energies Of his teach
ers were spent in trying to drive Greek and
Latin into his dull brain, which utterly re-
fused to harbor them. He was fond Of good
eating, of fishing, jokes, fun of all kinds.
His unwieldly body prevented his taking
part in athletic sports, but his applause
was hearty. No student, even among the
digniied seniors, would play against any
other college in baseball or cricket unless
Tony could go to back him. His enthusiast
tic shouts and yells were contagious.
OF course, he was a butt for the whole
college. He was "Babe," 'Infant,' -
"Humpty Dumpty'' still, but every man,
from the professors to the newest freshman,
liked Tony. He was so good humored, SO
sincere, and, above all, in such deadly ear
nest with his work. He began with fresh
zeal every morning to score a fresh failure
before night.
By dint of pushing, he was taken into tho
freshman class.
81 doubt if he ever goes farther" said
Professor Tyndall to me Il was now a tutor
in the lower school,. "There's not a mean
or vulgar trait in that great body. Under
bis good humor there is q fine, noble ma
ture. But a minister he will never be. Even
if he could ever speak in public, he never
can take the training"
The half yearly examinations were at
band. Tony broke down again in Latin and
Greek. I went to his room that evening,
and found him sitting a-straddle of his
chair, his chin on the back, staring stead
lastly in the fire.. Tony's round face was
as boyish as ever, but there was an infinite
depth of longing and pain in his dark eyes.
"Hard luck, Brashier," I said.
"You don't know the worst. Here IS a
letter from my mother, counting the time
until I shall be a minister; doing something
for the glory of Gods Gospel and the good
of the world. How can I tell her I am
thrown back another year, I ought to be
at work now, supporting her. I work as a
farm hand during the summer, and earn
enough to help US both; but it is very
poorly. Other men Of my age would have
a profession. She is growing old. She
ought to live like a lady"
"WIl you persist here?"
81 will stay the four years, a. I have
promised her."
l could not reach him with n courage
or comfort. Tony was treading depths Of
misery where no mar could come nigh to
him.
But after that day there was q singular
change in him.
He was as regular and attentive in his